Vibrating strike-off



May 22, 1956 Filed Sept. 9, 1952 E. E. REED VIBRATING STRIKE-OFF Fig.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Evere/l E. Reed I INVENTOR.

May 22, 1956 E. E. REED VIBRATING STRIKE-OFF 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9. 1952 Fig. 2

Everel/ E. Reed INVENTOR.

BY aw Em and United States Patent VIBRATING STRIKE-OFF Everell ErReed, DenisomTex. "Application September 9, 1952, Serial No. 398,568

8 Claims. (31. 94-45 This invention relatesxin general to concrete finishing Patented May 22, 1956 Similar characters of reference designate similaror identical elements and portions throughout the specificatron and throughout the different views of the drawings. Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen i that there is illustrated a conventional tractor which is referred to in general by the reference character 10. The tractor 10 has mounted thereon the portable screed attachment, which is the subject of this invention, the screed attachment being referred to in general by the reference numeral 12.

It will be seen that the portable screed attachment 12 includes an elongated push bar 14 which is connected at one endto a hitch bar 16 of the tractor 10 and extends ontwardly' to one side of the same. The hitch bar 16 is illustrated as being a generally U-shaped bar connected at its forward ends by suitable fasteners to a rear axle housing 18 of the tractor and is braced by a pair of rearwardly extending diagonal braces 20. However, it will .Another object of this invention is 'to provide an. im- 7 proved portable screed adapted to be attached to small vehicles such as tractorsfor movement thereby, said screed being easily and quickly attached to and removed, from an associated vehicle. Afurther object of this invention is toprovide an improved strike-01f shoe which includes a flat strike-.ofi plate having a recessed edge with curved ends to prevent the working of cementitious materials off of the ends.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved screed attachment for vehicles, said screed attachment being adapted to be .reciprocatedby drive means attached to a power take-01f of the vehicle with which-it is associated, and vibrated by a vibrating head of a standard vibrator which may be carried by the vehicle. v

With .these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of constructiom combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which forrna material part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a conventionaltractor which has mounted thereon the improved screed attachment Whichis 'the subject of this invention, the screed be understood that the hitch bar 16 may be of any conventional configuration. The push bar 14 is braced by a diagonal brace 22-which extends forwardly and inwardly from a point adjacent the outer end'of the push bar 14 to a point on the frame on the tractor 10 adjacent the brace 22 be permanently connected to the push bar 14 and removably connected to the frame ofthe tractor .10 by suitable fastening means.

The push bar 14 is provided on its forward side with ball fittings 24 and 26 which are positioned intermediate the ends thereof and at the outer end thereof, respectively. Connected to the ball fittings 24 and 26 for pivotal movement isa pair of forwardly extending connecting rods 28. The forward ends of the connecting rods 28 are also pivotally connected :to ball fittings .30 carried by a strikeolf shoe or screed which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 32.

Referring now to Figures 3 and in particulanit wiil be seen that the strike-01f shoe .32 includes a flat strikevoff blade 34 which extends the full width of the strike-oil surface of the blade 34. The strike-off shoe 3.2 also inattachment being shown in the process of finishing a nar- 1 row strip of concrete; 6 z

Figure 2 is a rotated side elevational view of the tractor andscreed attachment of Figure 21, and shows the relationship of the various elements thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view ofa strike-ofishoe of the screed attachment and shows the general outline ot the same, 'means for supporting and reciprocating th strike-off shoe being omitted;

Figure 4 is arear elevational view of the -strikeoff shoe of Figure 3 and shows the general 'details'thereof;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of a pitman carried by thetractor for reciprocating the strike-off shoe, the pitman having mounted thereon a drag link whose other end is intended to be connected snent with concrete being finished thereby; and,

whereby the pushing force exerted thereon by the connecting rods 28 may have the best steadying efiect. In-

'asmuch as'the, push bar 14 is rigidly connected to the tractor 10, it will be seen that whenever the tractor 10 is .rnoved..alon g a surface, the strike-off shoe 32 will be propelled alongside the tractor 10 due to the forward urging of the push bar 14 and its associated connecting rods 28. It will be also noted that inasmuch as'the connecting rods 28 slope downwardly and forwardly, as is best illustrated in Figure 2, a downward force will be exerted on the strike-off shoe 32.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 in particular, .itwill be seen that the tractor end of the diagonal brace 22 is connected to a transverse member 42 which is secured beneath thefrarne of the tractor 10 and extends outwardly on both sides thereof. The transverse member 42 has its outer ends braced by a pair of rearwardly and inwardly extending braces 44 which are also connected to the tractor frame.

Also connected to one outer end of the transverse member 42 adjacent its connection with the diagonal brac'e'22 is'a pillow block 46. The pillow block 46 is in longitudinal alignment with a journal member 48 carried byone leg of the U-shaped hitch 16 and a rotatable drive shaft 56 is journaled in the two. The rear end of-the drive shaft 50 is provided with a driven sprocket 52 which is in transverse alignment with a drive sprocket 54. The drive sprocket 54 is mounted on a drive shaft of a power takeoff 56 of the tractor 10 and is connected to the driven sprocket 52 by a drive chain 58 entrained thereover.

Referring now to Figure in particular, it will be seen that the forward end of the drive shaft 50 terminates in a wheel 60 which has mounted thereon eccentric to the shaft 50 a crank pin 62. Pivotally connected on the crank pin 62 for reciprocating movement thereby is one end of a pitman arm 64. The other end of the pitman arm 64 is connected to the strike-off shoe 32 in a manner to be described in more detail hereinafter for imparting a reciprocating motion to the same.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 3 in particular, it will be seen that mounted on the strike-off blade 34 at therear of the wall 40 is an elongated vibrator head 66. The

vibrator head 66 is connected by a flexible drive shaft 68 disposed within a flexible housing 70 to a vibrator unit 72 mounted on the rear of the tractor 1 0 and connected to either the push bar14 or the hitch 16. If it should be so desired, the entire vibrator unit may be in the form of a conventional portable vibrator which is secured tomporarily on the tractor 1t and the portable screed'attachment 12.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 in particular, it will be seen that carried by the vibrator head 66 and projecting upwardly therefrom is a ball fitting 74. The ball fitting 74 is pivotally connected to the other end of the pitman arm 64-. Inasmuch as the pitman arm 64 is reciprocated by the wheel 60 mounted on the drive shaft 50, it will be seen that reciprocatory motion is imparted to the strike-0E shoe 32 thereby.

Referring now to Figure 6 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a generally L-shaped' support which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 76. The L-shaped support 76 includes a vertical member 78 which is connected at its upperend to a horizontal boom 80. The boom 80 is braced with respect to the vertical member 78 by a diagonal brace 82 whose ends are secured to the same by suitable fasteners 84.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 in particular, it will be seen that the Vertical member 78 is secured to the tractor 10 with the boom 80 in the horizontal position. The boom 80 is disposed slightly rearwardly of the strikeoif shoe 32 and the end portion thereof extends slightly outwardly of the center of the strike-off shoe. The tractor 10 is provided with a power lift arm 86 which has connected thereto one end of a flexible line 88. The flexible line 88 extends forwardly from the arm 86 and passes around the pulley 90 carried by the boom 80 adjacent the tractor 10. Disposed in a horizontal plane along with the pulley 90 is a second pulley 92 which is carried by the rear side ofthe boom 80 adjacent the outer end thereof. The outer portion of the second pulley 92 is in alignment with a vertical pulley 94 carried by the underside of the boom 80 and in alignment with the center of the strike-oil shoe 32. The flexible line 88 passes through the pulley 90, around the pulley 92 and down over the pulley 94 and is connected to a pair of flexible members 96 which extend upwardly from the strike-01f shoe 32.

. Referring now to Figure 4 in particular, it will be seen that there is shown a pair of spaced eyes 98 which are in the form of inverted U-shaped members having their free ends rigidly secured to the front wall 40 of the strike-off shoe 32. The lower ends of the flexible lines 96 are'connected to the eyes 98 in any suitable manner so that when the end of the flexible line 88 to which the flexible lines 96 are connected is raised, the strike-off shoe 32 will also be raised.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 in particular, it will be seen that the tractor 10 is illustrated as running down an existing strip of road which is referred to by the reference numeral 100. In spaced parallel relation to one edge of the road 100 is an elongated form 102 which, in combination with the road 100, provides a form for concrete 104 which has been poured to provide a widening strip for the road 100. It will be understood that the concrete widening strip is relatively narrow and has a width of from two to three feet. Due to the narrow width of the widening strip, machinery normally utilized for striking off and finishing roadways cannot be utilized.

When it is desired to strike ofi? and finish the widening strip illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the tractor 10 is driven alongside the same at a very slow speed and the bottom surface of the strike-01f blade 34 rides upon the form 102 and an adjacent edge of the road 100. The strike-off blade 34 is then reciprocated transversely of the widening strip at a rate of approximately 60 revolutions per minute and the concrete is smoothly struck off. It will be noted that the strike-off blade and its associated front wall have curved outer ends which engage struck off concrete at the outer ends of the strokes of the strike-off blade so as to prevent the concrete from working off of the ends of the same and being wasted. Simultaneous with the reciprocation of the strike-off blade 34 a vibrating movement is imparted to the strike-off blade whereby the flat lower surface of the same will impart a desired finish to the struck-off concrete.

While the portable screed attachment 12 has been illustrated and described as being mounted on a tractor, such as-the tractor 10, it will be understood that the attachment is not so limited inasmuch as it may be conveniently attached to other suitable vehicles which may be driven at a very slow rate and which have power take-oif means for driving the drive means for imparting a reciprocating motion to the strike-off shoe. Also, it will be understood that it will not be necessary to utilize a vehicle which is provided with power lift means inasmuch as the strike-off shoe may be manually raised by suitable hoist means.

The operation of this device will be understood from the foregoing description of the details thereof, taken in connection with the above recited objects and drawings.

Further description would appear-to be unnecessary.

Minor modifications of the device, varying in minor details from the embodiment of the device illustrated and described here, may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1; An attachment for a vehicle comprising a push bar, a connecting frame at one end of said push bar adapted to be connected to the rear of the vehicle so that the push bar will project to one side of the vehicle, a screed parallel to said push bar, a pair of parallel connecting rods pivotally connecting said screed to said push bar for relative lateral movement, vibrating means mounted on said screed, and a pitman arm connected to said screed and adapted to be connected to a reciprocating means for reciprocating said screed.

2. An attachment for a vehicle comprising a push bar, a connecting frame at one end of said push bar adapted to be connected to the rear of the vehicle so that the push bar will project to one side of the vehicle, a screed parallel to said push bar, a pair of parallel connecting rods pivotally connecting said screed to said push bar for relative lateral movement, and a pitman arm connected to said screed-and adapted to be connected to a reciprocating means for reciprocating said screed.

3. Anlattachment for a vehicle comprising a push bar, a connecting frame atone end of said push bar adapted to be connected to the rear of the vehicle so that the push bar will project to one side of the vehicle, a screed parallel to said push bar, a pair of parallel connecting rods pivotally connecting said screed to said push bar for relative movement, vibrating means mounted on said screed, and means connected to said screed for reciprocating said screed.

. 4. An attachment for a vehicle comprising a push bar,

a connecting frame at one end of said push bar adapted to be connected to the rear of the vehicle so that the push bar will project to one side of the vehicle, a screed parallel to'said push bar, a pair of parallel connecting rods pivotally connecting said screed to said push bar for relative lateral movement, vibrating means mounted on said screed, and a pitman arm connected to said screed and adapted to be connected to areciprocating means for reciprocating said screed, said screed having liftmeans for selectively elevating said screed to an inoperative position.

6. In combination with a tractor having a power takeon, a push bar rigidly carried by said tractor at the rear thereof and projecting to one side thereof, a screed disposed at said one side of said tractor in front of said push bar, connecting rods pivotally connecting said screed to said push bar, drive means driven by said power take-0E connected to said screed for imparting reciprocatory movement to said screed.

7. In combination with a tractor having a power takeotf, a push bar rigidly carried by said tractor at the rear thereof and projecting to one side thereof, a screed disposed at said one side of said tractor in front of said push bar, connecting rods pivotally connecting said screed to said push bar, drive means driven by said power takeoff connected to said screed for imparting reciprocatory movement to said screed, and hoist means carried by said tractor and connected to said screed for elevating said screed.

8. In combination with a tractor having a power takeoff, a push bar rigidly carried by said tractor at the rear thereof and projecting to one side thereof, a screed disposed at said one side of said tractor in front ofsaid push bar, connecting rods pivotally connecting said screed to said push bar, drive means driven by said power takeoff connected to said screed for imparting reciprocatory movement to said screed, and a vibrating head carried by said screed, means carried by said tractor for actuating said vibrating head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 910,073 Lischke Jan. 19, 1909 1,750,443 Tullis Mar. 11, 1930 2,034,942 Dodds Mar. 24, 1936 2,146,101 Weber Feb. 7, 1939 2,204,333 Wagner June 11, 1940 2,219,246 Jackson Oct. 22, 1940 2,332,687 Baily Oct. 26, 1943 

